Interactive documentary “Your Heritage, Your Story”

How does archaeology influence a person’s sense of place and belonging? What does heritage mean to someone who has moved to a new country?

“Your Heritage, Your Story” is an interactive documentary project that answers some of these questions by presenting personal stories of archaeology and heritage from recent migrants in the UK. Created in collaboration with the University of York and the Council for British Archaeology (CBA), the project looks at the interactive documentary as an inclusive and creative storytelling model to forefront the voices of underrepresented individuals. By developing digital stories through a co-creative film process, the project aims to reach new audiences in archaeology and facilitate conversations around inclusive storytelling practices in the sector. Through a lens of equity and justice, “Your Heritage, Your Story” is a space where migrant experiences are valued for their rich contribution to new meanings of archaeology and the ever evolving ideas around heritage.

The project was led by Zulfiya Hamzaki, a postgraduate researcher (MSc in Interactive Media) at the University of York. Zulfiya is a documentary filmmaker and works on video projects with non-profit organizations to help achieve social justice goals. “Your Heritage, Your Story” is a project that is particularly close to her, as she is a recent migrant herself, having moved to the UK to pursue her career in research and filmmaking.